Closure for containers



C. L. MURPHY. v CLOSUBE FOR CONTAINERS..

. APPLICATIONv FILED JUNE 30, i921. 1,420,734.

- Patented J une 2 CHARLES" L. MURrnY,

or. crNcrnNATL oHro o Acnosurtn non CoN'rAINIERs.

` Application meaning 3o,

To aZZ zo 710m t may vconcern `Be itknown that I, CHARLns L. MURPHY?,

a citizen of the UnitedV States, residing atl Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain'neyvV and useful Improvements in `Closuresfor Containers, of which the following is a speci'- .j

ication.,

and its obj ect is to simplify and economize in the constructionand use of such articles; to

Y havev them securely closed when required, but

readily opened repeatedly. Itis the .more

especial object. of my invention. to provide these advantages in connection with bottles for medicinal, toilet preparation, chemical, and prescription use, and the like. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated, for example, inthe accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan view of a part of a bottle provided with a closure embodyingmyinvention, in closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a side'elevation of the same;l

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same with the cap removed; i

Fig. 4 is a'plan v iewv of the same with `the cap removed;

F is a vertical cross-section of the Same 'on' the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a iront ,elevation of the cap; Fig. 7 is a sectional front elevation of the bottle and the closnre,the section being on the vertical plane of the line 7*7 of` Fig. l; S is a front elevation of `thebottle with the capA removed; A

Fig. 9 is a similar view with ,the ,cap in its initial position on the bottle inthe closing operation; l

Fig. lO is a bottom, plan view of the cap; Fig. ll is a similar view of a modifiedY Cap; and J Fig. 12 is a section corresponding tothat of Fig. 7, but showing a wide-mouthed bottle or jar provided with a closure embodying my invention.

The lbottle which I' have chosen for. illus,-

i Specification of Lettersatcnt.

PatentedJune V21'7, 1921. semaine,481,533.,k f

tration isojf the'kind knowniin the trade' as.,

prescription finish,` although, it will belunl derstood that the particular style. of the bottle is immaterial, and .for that reason only the 11p-Pei? Parti ffth' bdd?. 1 andthe. neck 2 are shown in the drawing. The. out? let 3 of the neck 2, as here shown, is

j ,A f. row, such as would, as rthese bottles usually My linvention relates to bottles andhjars,

are. employed, bev closed a cork or other? Stepper; which Closure, also. far es' .I an?. aware, 1s the only. kind that has been, con,-l

especially or holding readily flowingfliqr uids, volatile or'especially thin liquids,

the like, where a tight closure must' be' mainl .65 neck 2 has the cap-seating surfacec, asherel shownbeing in a planeat'rightangles to the? tained." Around the outlet '3 theend of the outlet axis, asis comnifoniny this" type of bottles, although it will be understood other dispositions of thisC surfacemay oer; cur. The essential character ot 'this` suinface 4 is that,` itfshall have'a materialtexf..k tent such that they cap `5, foffinver'ted cup`l` like formation, may have an interiorsurr.

face inv intimate ,Contact withy the surface 4 throughout'the. extent around the outlet As shown, thisinterior surface. of the cap 5" is pr'oyided by a disk .6. of suitablepackingA` v orl gasket marteriahsuch as cork, for instance,I

fitting snugly up'l in the cap, as is well; known inthe art.

The container or bottle fneck f2 has they*L diametrically opposite outwardly 'extended segments 7, eachgwithj'a bottom shoulder vinclining downwardly." with respect to the fseatinglsuri'ace 4 at a material angle, ifrom one end,y of the` segment'to theot-her, around the bottle or neckQ. Eachv shoulder 8 prefer= ably. also inc-lines downwardlyfwith respect to Vsaid surface 4,radially. inwardly of the bottle orneck 2 thisV being ashape that adds`-, to lthe conveniencefofY molding a f rlass` containerA with such a shoulder, aswell ascon'- tributing to the operation ofthe closure asy will be described. 'As here shown', the top of each segment 7 is inv thefsame plane. as.

and continuous with the seating surface 4.

et. the C0-p. ef 'the battle The semmai' ,o 50' sidered dependable for this kind offbQtles-,-

thus related make up a bottle formation which characterizes the bottle as one of prescription finish, as before alluded to; in that there is an ample lip, projected past the lower part of the neck 2 and with its top uninterrupted from the outlet 3, facilitating pouring and dropping liquids from the bottle, as is especially desirable for medicinal use. Also, with these continuous plane topped segments, the cap 5 is supported out closer to the line of strain of closing` pressure. Also, as shown, each segment has its deeper end abrupt, as at 9; but the other end is gradually reduced in radial extent, eccentric to the neck and outlet, as at 10, discontinuing entirely some distance from the abrupt end 9 of the other segment, leaving a space 11 between the segments 7, normal to the neck surface. This vaffords a betterentrance to the shoulders 8. However, it will be understood that these details may be varied from, under different conditions.

l Diametrically opposite to each other on the cap 5, depending from the rim of the inverted-cup formation of the cap, are the lugs 12, each with a radially inner upwardly facing shoulder 13 at its bottom. Each shoulder 13 has its upper surface inclined downward from the cap seating surface on the disk 6, around the cap, from one end of the lug 12 to the other. The cap 5 is placed on the bottle as shown in Fig. 9, by bringing the lugs 12 down along the spaces 11 and the adjacent eccentric parts 10; the radially in- `ward extension of the shoulders 13 being limited to pass the adjacent moderately extended parts 10. The inclination of these parts 10 around to the adjacent spaces 11 readily guides the lugs to their correct inital pOStOns against the abrupt ends 9. The inclination of each shoulder 13 corresponds to that of each downwardly facing shoulder 8 of the neck, with respect to the seating surface 4, around the neck 2. Also, preferably, where the segment shoulders 8 incline radially, as before described, these shoulders 13 also areinclined down, relatively to the seating surface 4, radially to correspond with the inclinations of the shoulders 8. The inner .diameter of the cap 5 is such that these lugs 12 will closely flank the segments 7 when the cap is turned on the neck to carry its lugs away from the abrupt segment ends 9; and the up-and-down dimensions of the lugs 12 are such that as this turning progresses, the lug shoulders 13 ride snugly along the segment shoulders 8. As here shown, each shoulder 13 inclines in the described way throughout its extent around the device, so that it has a relatively very extensive' bear ing surface on the neck segment shoulder 8 to which it is applied. Also, as here shown, each segment shoulder 8 is inclined in the described way throughout its length. Such inclination of the shoulders 8 and 11 throughout their lengths is preferable; being simple formations and affording the maximum bearing surfaces which it is one of the objects of my invention to provide. 1t will be understood that if any of the extent of either the cap lug 12 or the neck segment 7 be varied, so that such shoulders, of the described inclination, are not present throughout the extent of the part, the requirements of my invention are met if a materialextent of the cooperating shoulders on neck and cap are so correspondingly inclined, in a single direction around the device. Such an extended bearing surface affords the se curity required, according to my invention; dispensing with special locking means or the like, as well as with stops and the like, as will be described.

Preferably, the cap 5 is polygonal; that is, its rim is made up of a number of flat sides. As shown in Figs. 1 to 10, it is octagonal; in Fig. 11, hexagonal. Any more or less than six or eight sides may be proe vided. Such a number of flat sides, with the resulting angles 14, affords a very convenient gripping means for the hand in turning the cap, either in applying it to the container or taking it therefrom. 1 prefer a moderate number of sides, as six orY eight, because of the distinctness of the angles dueto relatively wide spacing and affording a better grip than a large number of small projections, such as corrugations that have been provided on bottle caps and the like.

Moreover, 1 prefer to provide such angles coincident withthe lugs 12, from which and from the adjacent sides the lugs taper slightly inward to the curves-which the lug shoulders 13 have; the latter preferably being on arcs, substantially, of a circle inscribed in the polygon of the cup rim (Fig. 6, 10 or 11.) This braces the lugs 12 against springing outwardly; especially when the radial-inclination of the shoulders 8 and 13 is provided, as before described, this bracing is desirable. Whether the cap be polygonal or not, such a provision of reinforcing angles at the lugs 12 is desirable for these reasons. Also, to strengthen the lugs 12, a fillet 15 is provided at one end where the shoulder 13 is highest, and a fillet 16 is provided at the other end, of each lug 12 where it joins the main part of the cap rim; the latter fillet 1G being of ample radius, but the fillet 15 being smaller to make room for coming down past the abrupt end 9 of the neck segment in first l placing the cap on the bottle. As before` stated, the cap shoulders 13 are not of excessive radial inward extent. They are wide enoughvto afford ample bearing along the neck shoulders 8, in their conformity thereto as before described; but clear the main part of the neck, at the neck and shoulder junction, to an ample extent. 1n general,

liov

these and the other `parts of the bottle VYand cap are sov proportioned that the necessary bearing. parts will fit `together snugly, with ample frictional. holding effect, but other parts, with which such snug fitting is not needed, are spaced sufficiently .to avoid hindrance 4if either the cap, ,or the bottle, especially the latter, should be slightly inaccurately formed.` The lugs lpvwedge on the lugs 8 radially with added eliect.A

In Fig. 12, the cap and 'bottle or J ar fori lmations'will be'understood to be substan-l tially as in the preceding examples. The jar has the body 1 with neck 2" andwide mouth 3 surrounded by the Seating surface 4 for the cap 5. The cap has thedisk4 6 to bear on the surface', represented as relries the inclination of the shoulders 8 and;V

13, around the j ar, somewhat from that on the smaller bottle neck,`

ii desired, giving the same inclination.

The cap 5 being placed onrthe bottle neck 2 as showninFig. 9, with the lugs 12 and their shoulders 13 guided down into the spaces 11 by the abrupt ends 9, against which they are guided by the linclined ends 10 of opposite segments 7is turned around to the right, according to the disposition of parts herein shown; At some period of this turning, the shoulders 13 of the capr begin to engage with the shoulders 8 of the container, wedging thereon with correspondingly inclined surfaces. The turning is continued until thetightness, judged by the resistance, is sucient; this increase in tiglitl ness being possible throughout the travel of the cap shoulders 13 along *the neck shoulders 12. Preferably the parts a're so proper-VV tioned that when the lowest part of Athe lshoulder 123 coincides with the far end `9 of the segment ,7, the maximum required tightness has been provided. More or less tightness of closure is desirable, depending upon the nature of the contents, or ease or frequency of opening required. Fororiginal packing of proprietary articles, full tightness may be used. The consumer, at repeated .openings and closings, may lnot close the container so tightly. For prescriptions,

the tightness may be varied for the con-- venience of the consumer. In practice I find that with `moderate tightness, the described closure remains closed and sealed, and is not displaced or opened by transportation vand handling. Even with extreme tightnessof The depth of the-f segments and lugs may vary proportionately closure, the removal of. the cap, which" is done by twisting back in the opposite direction to that of closure, is accomplished'with' ease to the user. ySuch easy opening is 4especially desirable `in containers for stickysubstances and lthe like, inwhichstoppers or more complex closures are difficult to remove y have contacted with the closure parts at av rprevious withdrawal from the container.

lafter standing some timel after the contents Notwithstanding such ease,y of opening, the

closure as described is found in practiceto retain thin liquids, or the .volatile substances,

as efficiently as they are retained by `corks` L V andthe like used as Stoppers; `and to resist opening, 'even by impacts against the angular riin of the cap. y

Such a cap is advantageously made of'k i sheet metal, as sheet steel, preferably eiiam eled eXteriorly, and providedwithsuitable packing 6 interiorly as'wi'th numerous other kinds. of caps. The caps may be made lwith their lugs 12 straight up' and down, without" the shoulders 18, and then be applied tothe bottles or .other containers and these lugs formed inward to forni the shoulders underV the neck segments; Y-either withlniaximuin tightness, or partially tight, to ybe fully tightened by a slight twist. Such operations cany be perforinedby la special machine, for

with proprietary articles. Or the caps may' be furnished in their complete condition, to

be put on as before described', either byv hand or by special mechanical: means.- This method can be used forlarge quanties, or more particularly for moderate quantities,

or by druggists, in prescription or other bot' tling or packing. The simplev bottle or container design permits thebottlesnor-containers to be made ofglass Lwithout difficulty, involving noproblems ofintricate or im"- practicable molds. 1 he containers so formed are substantial, without Ydisproportionate proyections or sharpybreaking recesses or angles. .y y c Modications others than or in addition' to y bottling or packing in largev quantities, 'as4 ict those i'nstancedv herein may occur ,and while .certain construction al Y details are deemed" preferable in connection with my invention,

and I have shown and described theser'ather specifically in elucidating the 'construction and use of my inventi0n,jas is required, .I 'do' not wish to be understood as being limited to such preciseV showing and description, but havingthus fully describediny invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is.:t

1. A container capfseating surface tlierearound, and shoulhaving an outlet with ay ders facing away froin said surface at inter- Y vals around the container, and a cap seating' on said surface, with shoulders at intervals` therearou'nd to engage with lries DectiveV onesy 01": said container Shoulders, sai c'apl shoul-A vals around the container', and a cap seating on said surface, with shoulders at intervals therearound to engage with respective ones of said container shoulders, said cap shoulders and corresponding ones of said container shoulders being, in their extent around the container, substantially correspondingly of increasing distance from said seating surface, measured on a line perpendicular to said surface, throughout the extent of the respective cap shoulders.

3. A container having an outlet with a cap-seating surface therearound, and shoulders facing away from said surface at 1ntervals around the container, and a cap seating on said surface, with shoulders at intervals therearound to engage with respective ones of said container shoulders, said cap shoulders and corresponding` ones of said container shoulders being, in their extent around the container, substantially correspondingly of increasing distance from to said seating surface, measured on a line per pendicular to said surface, around the container and away from said surface radially inwardly of the container.

4. A container having an outlet with a capi-seating surface therearound, and shoulders facing away from said surface at intervals around the container, and a cap seating on said surface, with shoulders at intervals therearo-und to engage with respective ones of said container shoulders, and having angles formed in its rim within the limits of the respective shoulders, with parts tapering radially inwardly from said angles to the respective shoulders, reinforcing the cap against the stresses due to` the shoulder engagement, said container shoulders and said cap shoulders being substantially corr spondingly inclined to said seating surface.

5. A container having an outlet with a cap-seating surface therearound, and shoulders facing away from said surface at interL vals around the container, and a polygonal cap seating on said surface, with shoulders at intervals therearound to engage with respective ones of said container shoulders, said container shoulders and said cap shoulders being, in their extent around the container, substantially correspondingly of increasing distance from said seating surface, measured on a line perpendicular to said surface, and each o ne of said cap shoulders having a respective angle of the polygonal cap within the angle of its extent around the cap, to transmit the strain on said shoulder to other parts of the cap. Y

6. A container having an outlet with a cap-seating surface therearound, andV shoulders facing away from said surface at'intervalsaround the container, and a polygonal cap seating on said surface, kwith shoulders at intervals therearound to engage with respective ones of said container shoulders, each one of said cap shoulders having a respective angle of the polygonal cap within the angle of its extent around the cap, to,

transmit the strain on said shoulder to other parts of the cap.

7. A container having an outlet with a cap-seating surface therearound, and having lugs on its sides with tops in the plane of said surface, the bottoms of said lugs forming shoulders facing away from said surface at intervals around the container, and a cap seating on said surface, with shoulders at intervals therearoundl to engage with respective ones of said container shoule ders, each one of said container shoulders being, in its extent around the container, of increasing distance from said seating surface, measured on a line perpendicular to said surface, continuously in one direction throughout its extent around the container, and said cap( shoulders being inclined substantially correspondingly to the, respective container shoulders.

8. A container having an outlet with a cap-seating surface therearound, and having lugs on its sides with tops in the plane 'of said surface, the bottoms of said'lugs forming shoulders facing away from saidsurface at intervals around the container, and a cap seating on said surface, with shoulders at intervals therearound to engage with respective ones of said container shoulders, each one of said container shoulders being, in its extent around the container, of increasing distance from said seating surface, measured on a line perpendicular to said surface, continuously in one direction throughout its extent around the container, and said cap shoulders being inclined'sulostaiitially correspondingly tothe respective.

container shoulders throughout the extent of said cap` shoulders. Y

9. A container-closing capl of polygonal shape with lugs: on its rim at intervals therearound coincident with respective angles of the polygon, and shoulders on the respective lugs extended inwardly across the main body of the capi, following substantially arcs of a circle inscribed in the polygon, said lugs inclining from their respective polygonal angles totheir respective shoulders.

10. A container-closing cap with lugs on its rim at intervals therearound, said cap having' angles in its rim coincident with respective lugs, ands/boulders on the respective lugs following substantially aros of a circle concentric to the main body of the cap, said lugs inclining from their respective angies to their respective shoulders.

1l. A container-closing cap with lugs on its rim at intervals therearound, said cap having angles'in its rim coincident with respective lugs, and shoulders on the respectivelugs inclined inwardly across and away i the main body of the cap, said lugs inclining from' their respective anglesto their respective shoulders.

CHARLES L, MURPHY. 

